SALT LAKE CITY — Getting behind the wheel always includes some form of risk, not always because of your choices, but because you cannot control the choices that drivers make around you.
Recently, some of Utah's most vulnerable drivers have been making choices that are resulting in devastating outcomes. Last year, 31 teenagers were killed in crashes on Utah roads — nearly double the 18 fatalities recorded in 2024.
According to UDOT and DPS, most teen-related crashes were often due to lack of experience, risky behavior or distraction. This makes abiding by laws pertaining to newly licensed drivers more crucial than ever.
Jessie Burrell, who has been teaching driver's education classes for over 20 years, says not abiding by one specific law is costing the lives of young Utahns at alarming rates. "For the first six months, students need to, they can drive their family members around, little brothers and sisters, but they can't drive with other teens," Burrell said.
"The distractions are outside the car. We don't need the distractions inside the car and just get good at it, get good at it before you pile some people in the car. There, we have enough challenges with driver's ed and getting kids out there safe on the road," she said.
Recent data from 2025 was analyzed by Zero Fatalities, and the results were mixed. While overall deaths involving traffic crashes dipped last year, fatalities among teenagers soared. The rise of fatal crashes involving teenagers in 2025 is alarming to Utah officials and educators, especially because there is a specific Utah law for new drivers in place that is aimed at preventing this very tragedy.
The statistics Burrell shares with her students are sobering. "One of the statistics that we share with kids is that if you put one teenager in the car with you in that first six months, it doubles your chances of getting in a crash or a fatal crash, and if you put two teenagers in the car with you, it triples your opportunity, or likelihood of getting into a crash or a fatal crash," Burrell said.
Regardless of how thrilling it may be to finally get a taste of freedom after getting your driver's license, it's imperative to know that if teens just take six months to get good at driving with no one else as a distraction in your car, there is a considerable reduction in the likelihood of a fatal crash.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
DRIVEN TO CHANGE
